Episode Summary

Mulder and Scully head to Ellens Air Force Base to investigate the mysterious case of a military test pilot who disappeared after experiencing strange psychotic behavior. While on the case, Mulder meets a mysterious man dubbed 'Deep Throat', who claims to have classified information about his investigations into the paranormal.moreless

Jerry Hardin was one of the best casting decisions

So many elements made this show what it was, and one of them was casting. You couldn't have picked a better actor to play "Deep Throat", and picking any differently would have generated a weaker brand of conspiracy. He was so mysterious and layered, which left fans wondering to whom his allegiances were. This episode builds on the solid foundations of the pilot.

The first conspiracy!

its not quite the finest example, but always worth it for the introduction of Mulder's informant, Deep Throat. He appears warning Mulder to stay away from a case he has discovered involving a military test pilot who has disappeared from a base notorious with UFO nuts. It gets a little bit far fetched at times, but like the pilot, it does okay setting up a common thread that will run through the upset the military or expect to find out anything they're hiding!moreless

Worth Watching Just For Seth Green

Another conerstone theme: the government not only knows about aliens, but also uses alien technology for its own evil by golly, Mulder has a chance to prove it in this one!

As in the pilot episode, it's not really the main plot that outlandish, but everything else that happens around the plot. Everyone around there knows about the secret airbase and what goes on there, but the government gets quite antsy when Spooky starts poking around. No problem, they'll just give him a mind-wipe and everything's okay (I assume the mind-wipe was learned from the aliens as The scene involving Scully picking up Mulder from the Air Force base at gunpoint was the ridiculous exclamation point on this predictable even steals the car, although there's armed guards standing right there. Oh well, it's great to see Seth Green playing a little, geeky much a cameo role for him! THIS EPISODE WANTS US TO BELIEVE IN: The government has alien technology; mind-wipes. BELIEVABILTY RATING: 4/10 Once again, an acceptable theme burdened by an unbelievable script.moreless

The truth behind an air force base.

When Mulder is contacted by one of his only trustworthy friends Deep Throat he goes to a US air force base looking for answers Mulder manages to see the truth the government are trying hard to conceal but is taken down within seconds It was a good ending when Deep Throat tells Mulder they have been here for a long time.

32:51 - Mulder only takes a dozen or so steps from the weeds before he turned and saw the ship. Yet at 33:34 when the MPs are after him he is far away from the brush, he has enough room to run full out for a while before he is captured 33:57

Continuity: The two teenagers seem to know a lot more than they originally let on. For instance, their normal lookout point is a forty-five minute walk from the perimeter, yet when Mulder and Scully meet them, they are right at the fence line. When Mulder says he's going to Yellow Base, the girl tells him not to go past the tall weeds, even though they've just said that no one has ever gone out to Yellow Base. Also, the pair manage to show up to reveal Mulder's location so that Scully can free him from the military.

Revealing Mistakes: At the beginning of the episode the SWAT team leader radios everyone that they are going in on the count of 5. However, when they are standing near the door there is a team member that starts out by holding up his hand - clearly mouthing 5 - but then goes on holding up three fingers, then 2 and 1. He skipped number 4. If you look closely at this scene, you can see the actor realizing his mistake because he was already starting to mouth 4 but was only holding 3 fingers up. The same actor also misses his mark while kicking the door from a squatting position. Luckily, although he barely hits the door, it manages to swing open.

Continuity: When Mulder and Scully see the lights at the airbase and then meet up with the teenagers it's supposed to be about 9:15 PM according to the time stamp; the rental car's rear windshield also shatters at this time. When we next see Mulder and Scully and the teenagers eating at the restaurant, the time stamp says it's 5:00 AM! What did they do all that time in between? The next scene possibly explains it: when the agents drop the kids off, the windshield is miraculously fixed. So maybe they spent all that time driving around until they found an all night body shop and then waited for the window to get fixed?

Edit: A possible explanation of what they did during all that time could be that they could've gone back to the rental car agency and get another car, since driving around with a broken windshield could've been dangerous for them.

QUOTES (19)

Mulder: Why would they go to all this trouble? Out of a need for security? Security of what? I think there's a huge conspiracy here, Scully. They've got a UFO here, I'm sure of it. And they'll do anything to keep it a secret, including sacrificing the lives and minds of those pilots, because what if that secret got out.Scully: If, if that were true, it would be a national scandal.Mulder: No no, you're not thinking big enough, if it were true, it would be confirmation of the existence of extraterrestrial life.Scully: Did you ever stop to think that what we saw was simply an experimental plane. Like the stealth bomber or, this Aurora Project. Doesn't the government have a right and a responsibility, to protect its secrets?Mulder: Yes, but at what cost, when does the human cost become too high for the building of a better machine?

Scully: Mulder, would you explain to me what's going on.Mulder: I think they re-wired that man's brain. Some kind of selective memory drain.Scully: The brain doesn't work like that, Mulder. You can't just go in and erase certain files.Mulder: Then you explain it to me.Scully: There are types of amnesia th..Mulder: This is not amnesia, I think it's something far more deliberate and insidious.Scully: All I'm saying, is that the science or medical technology to do what you are suggesting, does not exist.Mulder: And neither does the technology to fly the aircraft we saw last night.

Mulder: Alright, I wanna show you something. This is a photo, of a UFO that reportedly crashed in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. Now I know, you don't believe that story but just hear me out. Now, Ellens Air Base, the same base that we're at right now, the same base, that for some strange reason, doesn't appear on your US government map, is supposedly, one of the six sites where parts from the wreckage were shipped.Scully: Mulder, are you suggesting that the military is flying UFOs?Mulder: No, planes built, using UFO technology.

Emil: Sometimes they come in real low, and just put on the scares right, it's like eeoou-ra and then they just hang there, and hover without making a sound. And you just think, you know, who turned down the volume right.Mulder: What do you think they are?Emil: Ok, everybody thinks that they're like UFOs, but I think it's some kinda, star wars cybertech new fangled hardware right, they probably roll it out for, Desert Storm II or something like that. Cruise right over Saddam's house, you know, it'll be like, what.

Mulder: Scully, wake up. You've gotta see this.Scully: What are they?Mulder: I don't know, just keep watching, it's unbelievable.Scully: That's unreal. I've never seen anything like it.Mulder: They've been going at it like that for almost half an hour.Scully: Well, it can't be aircraft. Aircraft can't manoeuvre like that.Mulder: What else could they be?Scully: I don't know, lasers maybe. Being shot from the ground, reflecting up off the clouds. Oh my God.Mulder: Here comes another one.

Deep Throat: Leave this case alone, Agent Mulder.Mulder: What?Deep Throat: The military will not tolerate an FBI investigation.Mulder: Who are you?Deep Throat: I, er, can be of help to you. I've had a certain interest in your work.Mulder: How do you know about my work?Deep Throat: Well, let's just say that I'm in a position to know quite a lot of things, er, things about our government.Mulder: Who are you? Who do you work for?Deep Throat: It's unimportant, I came here to give you some valuable advice. You are exposing yourself and Agent Scully to unnecessary risk, I advise you to drop the case.Mulder: I can't do that.Deep Throat: You have much work to do, Agent Mulder, don't jeopardise the future of your own efforts.

Mulder: There were other rumours too. I've been tracking this case since it came through the Boise regional office last month. Last week, for reasons I can't figure out, it was deprioritised. They shelved this case without an investigation, Scully.Scully: So?Mulder: So, you and I, are going to the spud state to investigate a little kidnapping.Scully: I don't get it Mulder. Does this have something to do with an X-File? I thought you only liked those, er, paranormal type cases. Am I missing something here?Mulder: Let's just say, this case has a, distinct smell to it, a certain, paranormal bouquet.

Deep Throat: Your lives may be in danger.Mulder: Why?Deep Throat: Mmm, you've seen things that weren't to be seen. Care and discretion, are now imperative.Mulder: I saw something I...Deep Throat: As I said, I can provide you with information, but only so long as it's in my best interest to do so.Mulder: What is your interest?Deep Throat: The truth.Mulder: I did see something, but it's gone, they took it from me, they erased it. You have to tell me what it was.

Paul: Hi. Are you the F.B.I agents? I'm Paul Mossinger. I work for the local paper. You guys are looking into this Budahas thing?Mulder: We're just looking around.Paul: I got you. Right. A lot of people here are just looking around. UFO nuts mostly, but it's not everyday we get F.B.I.

Mulder: Colonel Kissell?Kissell: Yes?Mulder: Can I talk with you? Special Agent Mulder, F.B.I.Kissell: I've got nothing to say. This is an invasion of my privacy.Mulder: Why don't you talk to us about Colonel Budahas?Kissell: Why don't you get the hell out of my yard?Scully: Good thing we still kept that appointment.

(National Security man steps out of a car)Man in Black: Please step out of the car.Mulder: (to Scully) Do you think if we ignore them they'll go away?Man in Black: Please step out of the car.Mulder: Guess not.

Deep Throat: Mr. Mulder, why are those like yourself, who believe in the existence of Extra-Terrestrials not dissuaded by all the evidence in the contrary?Mulder: Because all the evidence in the contrary is not entirely dissuasive.

Scully: Mulder, did you see their eyes? If I were that stoned...Mulder: Woo-hoo, if you were that stoned, what?Scully: Mulder, you could have shown that kid a picture of a flying hamburger and he would have told you that's exactly what he saw...

The license plate that Scully checks out over the phone, CC1356, is a subtle reference to series creator/writer Chris Carter. CC are the initials of his name and 1356 is the day (13) and year (1956) he was born.

The original script didn't include a voice-over narration at the end of the episode. FOX wanted some more closure to the storyline, so a compromise was made between Chris Carter and Fox. The use of Scully and Mulder's voice-overs would become an ongoing device, especially in the earlier seasons.

ALLUSIONS (2)

The title is a reference to the infamous Watergate informant. This is the name of Mulder's confidential source into the government's activities with the paranormal, although it is not said on-screen until "The Erlenmeyer Flask,".

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